Photos: An early look at SportsDayDFW.com's Top 25 college football poll for 2013

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SPORTSDAY'S EARLY TOP 25 FOR 2013: The dust is barely settled on the 2012 BCS title game... which means (of course), it's already time for a way-too-early look at the top 25 teams of 2013. Taking returning starters, early defectors and a handful of other factors into account, we came up with our list of the 25 best college football teams to keep an eye on for next season. So which local teams make the cut? Take a look...

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25. Michigan State: With RB Le’Veon Bell, DE William Gholston, and TE Dion Sims all leaving early for the NFL, the Spartans will have plenty of holes to fill. The biggest will be the one left by Bell, who ran for over 1,700 yards in MSU’s run-heavy offense. QB Andrew Maxwell (pictured) returns, but he could be entrenched in a competition with freshman Connor Cook, who led the team to a late rally in its victory over TCU in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl. Whoever starts under center will have some weapons to throw to. The Spartans’ top two receivers, Bennie Fowler and Keith Mumphrey both return.

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24. Northwestern: The Wildcats finished 2012 with a terrific 10-3 record and were shockingly close to an undefeated run. They led Penn State 28-17 before a fourth-quarter collapse doomed them, and late field goals by Michigan and Nebraska led to the other two Ls. The offense is still loaded with many of the same playmakers, including dual-headed QB attack in Trevor Sieman and Kain Colter, plus Texas native Venric Mark (pictured) at RB, who’s among the most explosive runners in the country. With the Legends division lacking a true juggernaut, Northwestern is a legitimate threat to get into the Big Ten title game.

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23. Wisconsin: Bret Bielema is gone, leaving former Utah State coach Gary Anderson to sort through a rotating cast of characters at quarterback. Joel Stave is the leading candidate after starting this season, but he was replaced multiple times in 2012. If Anderson can find a QB, the offense will have some weapons: RB James White (pictured) should be a capable replacement for Monte Ball and top WR Jared Abbrederis is back for his senior season. On defense, Wisconsin returns a number of players that ranked 14th nationally in yards per game last season, although it will have to rebuild its secondary.

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22. Nebraska: QB Taylor Martinez (pictured) will be back to cap off his career as a four-year starter, and many of his teammates will follow. The Huskers lose just three starters from a unit that was 25th in the country in total offense this year. One of those departing is RB Rex Burkhead (a Plano native), but sophomore Ameer Abdullah, who filled for an injured Burkhead this season, rushed for 1,137 yards in 2012. The question marks will be on defense, where Nebraska will have to replace almost its entire linebacking corps, as well as S Daimion Stafford and DT Cameron Meredith, both likely NFL draft picks.

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21. Boise State: After losing an FBS-high 17 starters last year, the Broncos turned in another 11-2 season that ended with a bowl win over a Pac-12 foe and a No. 19 finish. Ho hum. They’ll again have to undergo a massive overhaul, losing seven starters on offense, but QB Joe Southwick should find some more consistency in his second year as a starter, and RB Jay Ajayi (pictured) seems poised to break out after a freshman campaign during which he racked up 548 yards and averaged 6.7 yards per carry. It should be another double-digit win season for Boise, but can they be a BCS buster?

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20. Oklahoma State: Though the OSU QB situation is just as unclear as it was a year ago, it’s certainly a spot that causes less angst among Cowboys fans. Sophomore J.W. Walsh seems like the early favorite heading into the summer, but he’ll have plenty of competition from Clint Chelf and Wes Lunt, all of whom bring a totally different style to the table. Most of the receiving corps returns, including the Big 12’s top target in Josh Stewart (pictured), and though they’d certainly be better off with Joseph Randle at RB, senior Jeremy Smith can carry the load if need be.

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19. UCLA: RB Jonathan Franklin carried the Bruins to their best season since 2005, but his departure shouldn’t send Jim Mora’s squad back into mediocrity. QB Brett Hundley (pictured) looked like a star in the making as a freshman, tossing 29 TD passes and racking up more than 4,000 total yards of offense. Defensively, the Bruins will have to rebuild a secondary that graduates three starters, but the front seven should return mostly intact. Add in back-to-back top-15 recruiting classes, and UCLA is trending up.

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18. Michigan: QB Devin Gardner, who replaced Denard Robinson when he went down with an injury, will be back, as will RB Fitzgerald Toussaint. The big questions will be in the secondary — Michigan loses two starters including captain Jordan Kovacs — and, more significantly, the offensive line, which graduated three seniors, though the surprise return of OT Taylor Lewan (pictured) was a big boost. A top recruiting class and coach Brady Hoke playing a number of freshmen this season could help the transition.

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17. TCU: A 7-6 record wasn’t exactly how TCU fans imagined their first Big 12 season, but given how painfully young the Frogs were, it was actually something of an accomplishment. QB Trevone Boykin and RB B.J. Catalon will both be big factors after impressing as freshmen, and QB Casey Pachall could be back in the mix after earning a mid-season suspension. But the real danger will be Gary Patterson’s defense, which returns 10 starters, including two of the Big 12’s biggest playmakers in DE Devonte Fields and CB Jason Verrett (pictured). The Frogs’ 2012 record will probably keep them from starting much higher, but they’re an early dark horse to win the conference.

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16. Oregon State: While the Beavers were among the surprise teams in college football, fans might not realize just how young the team was on offense. Primary QB Sean Mannion and 1,000-yard receiver Brandin Cooks were both sophomores, while top backs Storm Woods (pictured), Terron Ward and Malcolm Agnew were all underclassmen, as well. The defense, which was Oregon State’s strength this season, will need to be rebuilt with five starters heading out, but Mike Riley still hasn’t enough talent to keep his team afloat.

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15. Florida State: For the Seminoles, the EJ Manuel era ends and the Clint Trickett era begins. Trickett will have some key returning players to work with, not to mention a dominating defense, which allowed a mere 14.7 points per game in 2012. ACC Defensive Player of the Year Bjoern Werner has declared for the NFL Draft, but lockdown corner Xavier Rhodes (pictured) and defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan headline a unit that should once again rank amongst the top in the nation.

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14. Texas: With a bevy of starters returning on both sides of the ball, 2013 could be the year the Longhorns return to the top of a relatively weak Big 12. QB David Ash (pictured) took a step forward as a sophomore, and his top three backs, top two receivers and entire o-line return. But the Horns have to go back to the type of swarming defense they featured during Manny Diaz’s first season, rather than the chicken-with-its-head-cutoff look they had all too often in 2012. Keeping their stars healthy – namely DE Jackson Jeffcoat and LB Jordan Hicks, both of whom missed major time – will be key, too.

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13. Oklahoma: Strangely enough, the loss of a four-year starter at quarterback may not be the Sooners’ biggest issue. Yes, Landry Jones was statistically productive, but he never seemed to take the leap into the elite ranks as a player, and fresh blood may actually help, whether it’s Blake Bell, Drew Allen or someone else entirely. Losing top receivers Kenny Stills and Justin Brown shouldn’t hurt too much with Jalen Saunders (pictured) back and Sterling Shephard and Trey Metoyer set to break out. But OU’s real problems are on defense, where the Sooners regressed by season’s end and lose some top playmakers, including star S Tony Jefferson.

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12. Clemson: A thrilling win over LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl bodes well for a Clemson team that is returning quite a few electrifying offensive playmakers, including ACC Player of the Year Tajh Boyd (pictured). After deciding to stay for his senior season, Boyd hopes to build on a junior campaign that saw him pass for 3,896 yards and 36 touchdowns. Boyd will have his top two targets coming back as well. DeAndre Hopkins led the Tigers with 1,405 yards receiving and 18 touchdowns while Sammy Watkins caught 57 passes for 708 yards.

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11. Notre Dame: The Irish looked poised for a top-5 start in 2013, but the embarrassment in the national title game coupled with some key personnel losses will send them dropping. Heisman runner-up Manti Te’o, All-American TE Zach Eifert and top rushers Theo Riddick and Cierre Wood will be tough to replace, but Brian Kelly still has plenty of talent on defense – led by the freakishly athletic DE Stephon Tuitt (pictured) – and a now-settled QB situation with Everett Golson under center. If the SEC cannibalizes itself again, the Irish could find itself back amongst the title contenders.

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10. LSU: A 10-2 run through the regular season couldn’t have ended in much more disappointing fashion for LSU. The Tigers were relegated to the Peach Bowl despite a top 10 finish, lost in the closing seconds to Clemson, and then saw a mass exodus of 10 juniors head to the NFL, headlined by six defensive stars that could all be 1st round picks. It’s going to leave the Tigers with a ton of holes to fill on both sides of the ball, and LSU’s hopes of an SEC title will likely hinge on the development of QB Zach Mettenberger (pictured), who was wildly inconsistent in 2012.

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9. Louisville: Charlie Strong has this program on the rise and fans truly buzzing about Louisville football after winning the Big East and upsetting Florida in the Sugar Bowl. The Cardinals will move to the ACC in 2014 but should once again dominate what appears to be a dying conference next season. Louisville will be led by sophomore sensation Teddy Bridgewater (pictured). As a junior, don’t be surprised if Bridgewater challenges Johnny Manziel for the Heisman Trophy. He passed for 3,718 yards and 27 touchdowns last season.

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8. Florida: The Gators are coming off a surprising loss to Louisville in the Sugar Bowl, but Florida should be excited about the future. Jeff Driskell (pictured) left something to be desire as a passer, but should be improved with a year under his belt, and while more growing pains are expected on offense, the true strength of this team will be on defense. Though Shariff Floyd and Matt Elam are taking their talents to the NFL, Dominique Easley is one of the top defensive linemen in the SEC and will anchor this unit.

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7. South Carolina: There’s plenty of good news for South Carolina – it’s returning a pair of quarterbacks that both played well in stretches last season, as well as the best defensive player in the nation in DE Jadeveon Clowney (pictured). On top of that, the Gamecocks avoid Alabama, Texas A&M and LSU, at least in the regular season. But Steve Spurrier will still have to find a reliable threat on the ground with Marcus Lattimore and Kenny Miles both headed out. Sophomore Mike Davis looks like the heir apparent, but he’s got just 275 yards to his name so far.

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6. Georgia: After finishing five yards from a national title berth, the Bulldogs return a ton of firepower on offense. QB Aaron Murray will be back as a senior, as will star RBs Todd Gurley (pictured) and Keith Marshall, who combined for more than 2,100 yards and 26 TDs as freshmen this year. The real questions will come on defense, where Georgia stands to lose seven starters, including star LBs Jarvis Jones and Alec Ogletree, both of whom left early. The Bulldogs have plenty of young talent to replace them – including LB Jordan Jenkins, who had five sacks as a freshman, and former five-star S Josh Harvey-Clemons – but it’s unproven for now.

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5. Stanford: After a second consecutive BCS bowl appearance, the Cardinal will have to face life without workhorse RB Stepfan Taylor, who accounted for more than 1,800 total yards last year, and top tight ends Zach Ertz and Levine Toilolo, both of whom declared early. But Stanford does return a mammoth offensive line, a star QB in the making in sophomore Kevin Hogan (pictured), and a lot of talent to a defense that ranked in the top 20 in the nation.

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4. Texas A&M: Can Heisman holder Johnny Manziel (pictured) possibly top his freshman season? Well, he returns with a better backfield, as five-star transfer Brandon Williams will be eligible and Ben Malena and Trey Williams are both back. WRs Ryan Swope and Uzoma Nwachukwu graduate and Thomas Johnson may not return, and early NFL defections by Luke Joeckel and Damontre Moore hurt, but the Aggies are keeping most of their top playmakers and deep recruiting classes should help the Aggies retool in a hurry. Their Sept. 14 rematch with Bama will have some serious SEC West/SEC/national title implications.

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3. Ohio State: If the Buckeyes can retool their defensive line, which loses future NFLers in Johnathan Hankins and John Simon, they should have another chance at an undefeated season. And this time, they’ll actually be eligible for a bowl game. QB Braxton Miller (pictured), who generated a bit of Heisman buzz last season after throwing for 2,000 yards and rushing for nearly 1,300 more, will be in his second year under Urban Meyer’s spread offense. Second years have been magical for Meyer. He went 12-0 and won the Fiesta Bowl in his second year with Utah and won the national championship in his second year with Florida.

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2. Oregon: Chip Kelly is no longer a Duck, but his explosive offense should stay in place with the promotion of OC Mark Helfrich to the head job. Although running back Kenjon Barner, who rushed for more than 1,700 yards and 20 touchdowns, will be lost to graduation, the Ducks do return De’Anthony Thomas (pictured) and one of the nation’s most explosive dual-threat quarterbacks in Marcus Mariota, so expect Oregon to once again average close to 50 points per game.

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1. Alabama: Yes, the nation’s best offensive line will have to be rebuilt after losing a bevy of starters (including G Chance Warmack and C Barrett Jones), but the Tide return basically every offensive skill player, save RB Eddie Lacy (pictured). Still, sophomores T.J. Yeldon (who rushed for 1,108 yards this year) and Kenyan Drake should fill in fine. CB Dee Milliner will be tough to replace, but Nick Saban’s defenses at Bama don’t rebuild, they simply retool. The Tide are still the team to beat.